Posts Tagged ‘Éamon Ó Cuív’

Older People want solidarity with young

“Older People are concerned that the result of what Minister Ó Cuív is proposing may set in train a process which will pit Older People against Young People” Máiréad Hayes, CEO of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament said today. “Older People remember the solidarity and encouragement we got when the Government tried to take the over 70s Medical Cards. Older People were supported by students and by their families for which we applaud them. Now we say to the Minister for Social Protection do not use the State Pension to fund other anti-poverty measures” continued Ms Hayes. “Is the Minister seeking to divide Old and Young this year after the debacle of last year which sought to divide Public sector employees from Private sector employees?” she asked.

The issues involved are straight-forward: the Irish Social Contract entitles people who have paid for pensions to get their pension rather than live in fear that it will be taken away from them at their time of need in retirement. The proposals being attributed to the Minister would penalise the majority of Older People of whom 84% of over-65s and 89% of over-75s rely on social transfers, to save a little on the few who are outside these categories.

2010 is the “European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion” and Older People are facing a variety of challenges in their lives today –many live alone and find they are socially isolated now more so than ever before. Many others are actively supporting their families through family care and other non paid assistance.

Contrary to many reports Older People have had cuts both in 2010 and before. They lost the additional payment at Christmas, they now pay a Carbon Tax, metered water charges are being introduced, the introduction of prescription charges and a decrease or abolition in waivers for waste charges as well as VAT on local authority charges. The over-70s medical card debacle continues with a backlog in renewing medical cards and the Home Help service is under threat. We are concerned at what we perceive as an attack on Universal Payments and the entitlements of Older People.

The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament calls on every TD & Senator from all Parties to clarify their stance on this proposal immediately. We also call on all Irish people, young and old, to stand together to defend the Social Contract.

ARE OLDER PEOPLE BEING TARGETED WE ASK

The Minister for Social Protection Éamon Ó CuívT.D., in response to a question posed to him, responded that “he cannot rule out a Budget Cut to the Older Age Pension (State Pension).”

The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament would remind the Minister that over 50% of Older People are dependent on this pension as their sole source of income. The loss of the Special Payment at Christmas was a reduction in the payments for those pensioners during what was one of the harshest winters we have experienced.

In the year to date

Dental and Eye Benefit were removed

A carbon tax introduced with no alleviation measures to reduce its impact

The plan to introduce Water charges accelerated

A draft of the prescription charges bill is we understand before cabinet

Higher fuel and petrol charges

Planned cuts to the Home Help Service

Reductions in transport services

Cuts to the Health Services

There are still over 17% of Older People who are at risk of poverty and the State Pension as a percentage of average earnings is one of the lowest in the EU.

We are aware that the Budgetary Process has commenced and that many a “kite” will be flown over the coming months. Last year the process was fuelled by the Commission on Taxation Report and the “Bord Snip Report”, the author of which was quoted in December as saying that he was preparing the ground with his report.

Last year Older People may have been fearful and anxious. However that is not the message we are getting from them this year.

What is the ISCP?

The Irish Senior Citizens' Parliament is a representative organisation of Older People in Ireland.
The Parliament is a non-partisan political organisation working to promote the views of older people in policy development and decision-making.
The Parliament is run by older volunteers who are elected annually at the Annual Parliament Meeting by delegates from affiliated organisations. The ISCP currently has 400 affiliated organisations whose memberships combine to a total of 100,000 individuals.
This membership means the ISCP has a genuine mandate to be the Voice of Older People in Ireland.

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ISCP Objectives:

To be a strong voice representing older people and their needs at international, national and local level.
To promote inter-generational solidarity.
To work through the existing affiliated organisations to ensure better co-ordination of policies and activities whilst ensuring that the affiliated groups retain their own autonomy.
To work for improvement in the quality of life of Older People.
To develop solidarity with organisations working to improve the quality of life of Older People.
To represent Older People’s issues to Government.